Tennis Prose




Apr/14

18

Sarasota Open Notes & Stuff

ssotaopenI saw Daniel Kosakowski and USTA coach Craig Boynton eating together in the nearby Publix cafe area about a quarter mile from the event venue. The American wildcard defeated James Ward and is now slotted to meet the Young-Kyrgios winner in the bottom half semi.

Another young American has not left a good impression on the Sarasota Open, after his poor effort in the third set in his first round match. One told me many fans called the effort disgraceful, embarrassing, a tank. That same player was later approached by a site stringer about a $450 stringing fee and was told, “Talk to my agent.”

Players are still chirping about how this player stranded his doubles partner at Wimbledon last year, leaving London after he lost in singles qualies.

Bogomolov and Filip Krajinovic were rained out last night after the first set, which was won by the Pat Harrison coached Serbian. Both players were standing next to each other with fans in the crowded lobby of the complex waiting for the decision of the tournament director. Match resumed today with Krajinovic winning. Krajinovic, once a highly touted junior from the IMG Academy, now plays Farrukh Dustov for a semifinal slot against Gerald Melzer.

Nick Bolletieri dancing to the Bee Gees at the center court pavilion next to his book signing table. The Hall of Fame inductee this July is 82.

Ingrid Neal, one of the stars of the IMG Academy is just fifteen but she is playing in the “Nick Bollettieri Women’s Open.” She’s a bit undersized but a very good athlete, steady, consistent, quick and she has excellent volleys. I saw her defeat another local kid Ashley Bongart, with Nick standing behind us on the next court observing from a distance. Neal, a Wisconsin native, has a bit of the Justine Henin flair about her, she’s a super athlete with a bright future.

Alexandra Stevenson won the women’s event three years ago but has never been invited back to defend her title. One explanation I was told is that IMG has a lot of influence over this women’s event and Stevenson is not associated with IMG.

Local media coverage has been very good via the Sarasota Herald Tribune columnist Mic Huber, who has been here almost every day. Mic’s got a ton of tennis stories that have kept me laughing all week….he played an eleven year old Anna Kournikova for a feature…. he faced Mark Philippoussis’s serve for another story.

After Flip got finished the organizer asked how it went, serving his fireballs at the brave reporter, Flip replied with a hint of frustration, “I missed him.”

31 comments

  • Dan Markowitz · April 18, 2014 at 6:43 pm

    Thanks for the report on Ingrid Neel, Scoop. I’ve always been intrigued by her since I read this article in the New York Times about her.http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/08/sports/tennis/08mcenroe.html.

    She supposedly trained with Johnny Mac at his academy for a while and had a difficult time deciding whether to stay in New York and train or go to IMG. A female version of Mac has to be an intriguing player. But I guess the IMG money was too much and what young girl from Minnesota would want to train in NYC instead of Florida?

    Could that “other” young American be the rampaging Nebraskan, Jack Sock? He should’ve listened to you and taken his backwards cap off his head. What’s your opinion on Kosakowski? Is he a prospect? Does he have the goods for Top 50? That’s what it’s come to with American tennis now–can he reach Top 50?

  • Andrew Miller · April 18, 2014 at 6:53 pm

    Kosakowski has game. Any u.s. player that can hit a backhand is a threat.

  • Andrew Miller · April 18, 2014 at 6:55 pm

    At this rate sock will quit.

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 18, 2014 at 7:58 pm

    Andrew, this is nothing compared to the way young Rios and Agassi behaved. And I’ve heard some insider stories about some other mercurial number one players’ conduct that would also astonish you. I won’t name a name: But one player wrecked his third Mercedes comp car. He tried to get a fourth one. The clerk told him that she just couldn’t, because you already crashed three. Player’s angry reply: “Well you can s*** my ****.” Hopefully our young American player will mature and grow out of his punk stage.

  • Dan Markowitz · April 18, 2014 at 10:49 pm

    Sock doesn’t seem like a punk. Maybe he split on his doubles partner–who knows, maybe he was injured. Singles players skipping out on doubles after they’ve lost in the singles draw is not unheard of. And I wouldn’t think it was the player’s job to pay for his stringing. Certainly a guy like Sock probably has his coach or agent pay for this expense.

    So it’s not like he’s cursing up a blue streak on the court or smashing comp cars at tournaments or knocking up women left and right. These are relatively minor bad-boy acts.

  • Dan Markowitz · April 18, 2014 at 10:53 pm

    With Kyrgios beating both JJ and DY by almost identical scores, 6-4, 6-4 against DY, can we say that DY and JJ are both about even now?

    And with Kosakowski straight-setting Ward who beat Q-ball in the D-Cup, can we say that maybe Coach Courier should’ve gone with another option over DY?

  • Andrew Miller · April 19, 2014 at 2:45 am

    Scoop – sure, Sock is immature like Agassi was. But throwing matches at a point where he needs as many wins as possible suggests Sock is giving up when he needs to keep improving. Maybe Sock’s right that no one remembers Sarasota. But he can’t climb up the rankings without winning matches he’s supposed to.

    Impressive Kyrgios. That’s not a match DY would want to lose. I don’t think DY and JJ are the same level yet but JJ will come on strong – his game is very complete, only consistency needed and match play.

    I like JJ and Kosakowski. Based alone on their games, they can do it all. And I really like either a Davis Cup team with DY and JJ in doubles or Harrison and Sock (if his attitude improves).

    No, I dont think Courier made a mistake in subbing DY. The big mistake was playing on red clay with players that excel on hard courts. They really thought they would beat Murray on clay, even with Querrey? Who else would have made it on clay – Courier would have had to reach down the list to Kudla to find a player comfortable on the dirt.

    Kosakowski has a shot vs. Kyrgios now. If I were him I’d take it.

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 19, 2014 at 7:06 am

    I agree Dan, it’s minor minor stuff. But it’s creating a wake of dislike from both fans and players towards him. I am experiencing the wrath here from fans and also some players, indicrectly of course. “Player are chirping” about whathappened to Cerretani. Still. But it’s minor stuff. BUT, compared to the likes of Fed and Nadal, two class acts, it looks like near criminal behavior. Fed and Rafa have set a VERY high standard of conduct.

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 19, 2014 at 7:10 am

    Looks like Kosakowski and Jenkins are making their moves and if they keep up this level of play, we’re going to be seeing a lot more of them. Hard to imagine Courier is happy with Qball and DY right now, those two are on thin ice as far as Davis Cup goes. BTW during the Kyrgios loss DY was heard saying at his mom, something like Don’t talk to me ever again. In a previous match with Zverev he also said Son of a biscuit or son of a b…h. There may be trouble in para-DY ssss.

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 19, 2014 at 7:24 am

    Andrew, Ward told me they were “shocked” Courier chose red clay. Sock maybe wanted to get out of here, with Cerretani around – he’s still in the dubs with Andreas Siljestrom, they are in SF after Bogie pulled out after losing singles. Just a bad vibe here for Sock. Like I said earlier, the college baseball player friend of mine, said he felt Sock maybe tanked to a lesser player going at 75% as it looks better tanking to a less player than trying your hardest and losing to a lesser player in SF. Weird idea but the way Sock played here the last two years was just plain weird. He also saw Sock play here last year, he tanked vs. Steve Johnson, after losing the first set TB he quit on serve early in the second, just quit the match out of nowhere, sudden handshake when they were at net after game. But it was very hot and humid for that day match last year. This guy Dale, the baseball player, who also hung out with Sock because Sock was staying at his house last year, said Sock has a vibe that he can still make bigger money and bigger pts at bigger events and doesn’t really have to go all out at a silly Challenger. That’s just his sense. Tennis can be a strange and interesting sport to analyze. One thing for sure is Sock’s becoming a very interesting player. Courier says Sock is a lone wolf type. He has shown such potential and also tank qualities like Rios. He can play great tennis – beat Raonic, Haas. But he can also lose to people like Arnaboldi, etc. I’m sticking with Sock though.

  • Coach Skelly · April 19, 2014 at 8:37 am

    Give Sock some time.Just cut his wild cards so it gets to the point where he will be needing them challenger points like old people need soft shoes!Same thing happened to DY with all the wild cards he got.Sometimes them wild cards work against you in the long run.
    It took DY long time to get over blowing a 5-0 lead in the 3rd set of the national 14″s clay courts in ft.Lauderdale to Jessee Levine.Levine knew he was beat so he just started wailing everyball as hard as he could and they all were going in.DY was in shock after the match!Then a year later he s playing pro tourneys.But one day perseverence will pay off forDY in a big way!
    I watched Spadea go from 300 to 50 at beginning of his careerin 6 months and I dont think he received any wildcards wildcards or maybe one or two!He tore up the satellites(futures now) but he did grinding out 3 to 4 hour matches against players like Ivan Baron,Balducci,Chrus Garner Brian Dunn.One point either way and maybe it was one of them who ended up with Spadeas career!None if them ever made a dent on the tour.
    If you took Jack Socks racquet s away and made him Paint Houses all summer he would cime back and play that 3rd set ge tanked a little differently.He would see whats on rhe other side of Tennis and maybe realize how lucky his asss is,,Thats never gonna happen so Sock gonna have to dig deep ans hopefully not take as long as DY ti figure it all out!Spadea wasnt afraida of ya!!!

  • Dan Markowitz · April 19, 2014 at 9:30 am

    Coach Skell–

    You tell it like it is. That’s a beautiful hypothetical–let Sock go out and paint houses for a summer and see how much fire that brings to his tennis game. Spadea knew about the flip side to a successful pro career as his father would tell him growing up or maybe when he was a teen, probably half-jesting but more likely half-serious, if you don’t make it on the tour, you might be flipping burgers at Burger King.

    Just watched end of Wawrinka-Ferrer and what a fighter that Ferrer is. Wawa, though, on clay just produces phenomenal angles. Maybe Wawa is a French Open contender. How about if he pulled off two slams in a row!

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 19, 2014 at 10:37 am

    Good job Coach Skelly. Strong advice. Just for the heck ofit, Sock should go flip burgers at McDonalds for one week. Just to see real life. It would be the best remedy for his lax attitude – you are right about that.

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 19, 2014 at 10:38 am

    BTW, I’m hearing Haas is done. Got shots in his arm in Calif but it didn’t help. Will try one more in Germany. If that doesn’t work it’s over. Haas can’t lift his arm up. Already had two shoulder surgeries.

  • Dan Markowitz · April 19, 2014 at 12:16 pm

    Wow, that’s some news after the great year he had last year. Is this related to the shoulder or is it more like Jim Courier dead arm?

  • Andrew Miller · April 19, 2014 at 12:29 pm

    First – Steve J. Is the only u.s. player proving at the ATP level outside of Isner and slumping Querrey. DY is right behind him.

    Klahn has to prove it – he can but he has not acclimated. I think he will turn the tide if he sticks with it.

    I agree about Sock. He doesn’t seem to get it yet.

    Sheesh with Harrison and DY I dont get why their parents dont just cut them loose. Obviously they have a lot more power over the players but right now how helpful is it for them to be bad mouthed every tournament ? Andy Murray would do the same with his mom but correct me if I am wrong all of that disappeared when his mom decided not to be his head coach. Nadal has his uncle and another sub coach meaning his parents are removed. Same thing for sampras who wouldn’t let his parents come to matches! We all know the agassi story .

    So dy and Harrison’s parents actually need to decide if this role is really helpful for them – they are always taking the heat and the blame and the chatter from dy and harriason no questions asked. If I were them and wanted the best for myself and a player I’d say you know what why be the object of this bad behavior ? Get a coach and make the player responsible for their own wins and losses. For whatever reason brother sister coaching works and hingis mom was an amazing coach , seles relied on her dad but for the most part the verdict is out…a parent can’t do this job without bringing the worst out of their player.

    On everything else I like jj and kosakowski. Kudla too but he seems to stay in his slump. The only one proving themselves and committed is Steve Johnson. Klahn should too but he better catch fire soon.

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 19, 2014 at 12:30 pm

    No, he can’t lift it up over his head. Pain all down the arm. Courier’s was weird, he said it just felt dead, there was no talk that he was done.

  • Coach Skelly · April 19, 2014 at 3:37 pm

    Bummer about Haas!Amazing how he resirected his career and all the W”s over last couple of years.
    Andrew I disagree with you about DY and Harrison getting their parents out of the picture!They arent going anywhere.Harrison”s Dad and DY”s mom have been heavily involved for over 20 years with their tennis.They both know their kids are special talents and they both want to be around when they reach their full potential.They have been there for the thick and thin.Give Harrison and DY a choice between tennis and family and tennis loses every time.!Everybody said said thing to Spadea for years.”Gotta get rid of your parents””Well Hilda and Vince sr.where there at beginning and end of career.And there during many of Vinces down times.Plain and Simple it was Family first tennis second with Spadea.One time they hired a name coach I wont name to Coach Vince in Europe.On way to the court for first practice the Coach told Vince he didnt want Vinces parents around.Vince waited till after practice to fire him!!!:)
    The Solution for Harrison and DY is find right Coach who will Have no problem with recognizing that DY and Harrison”s parents will always be their main coach and whoever they bring on board will have to accept it and work together.Some coaches can handle it some cant!!!But many talented coaches out there would love to work with either of them that could co-exsist.Almost every year no matter who was working with Spadea he listed his dad as coach In the ATP media guide!!Its a tough and a fine line to figure out!But there is always a happy medium somewhere!!!You guys all make a valid point about Spadea Coaching Either Harrison or DY!!!Vince has lived it and could handle it!!

  • Dan Markowitz · April 19, 2014 at 3:56 pm

    Skells,

    The story you tell about Vince firing the coach when he demanded Vince not have his parents around must’ve been at the beginning of his career. Because in 2005, when I wrote “Break Point” with Vince, his parents weren’t around all that much. I didn’t see them at IW or Newport, for example. He was being coached by Greg Hill, I believe, from Bollettieri’s at IW and then Gabriel Marcus at Newport. When I visited him in LA, before the season began, he was being coached by Pete Fischer.

    After Vince was 25, I believe, he made the decision to phase his father out of coaching him. I think Karel Novacek probably convinced him to go this route and he respected Novacek. I don’t know about Harry and his father, but DY has to absolutely rid himself of his mother. He has bad dynamics with her when he tends to complain a lot to her and that’s not good for his game. Also, until he evicts his mother as his coach, I don’t think DY will ever fully mature as a player.

  • Andrew Miller · April 19, 2014 at 5:00 pm

    Coach S. I understand what you are saying – my point is the parents have to make a choice to step back because the players – DY and Harrison – won’t play their best ball more often if their parents don’t take a different role. You can’t win a match if you’re angry with your parents – you’ll always consider quitting the sport before you even realize what you can do. Again look at Murray. His mom is a top flight coach but she can’t be Murray’s head coach because he’ll always resent it. Always Guys have egos and they need someone there who can be a little more objective – get the best performance out of them while curbing the bad body language and behavior on the court. Sure, have the parents talk to you, etc – dont shut them out. But the parents have to say listen, we can’t be the head coach. We want to but our kids will resent this. We can be there, but we shouldnt take over the coaching.

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 19, 2014 at 6:29 pm

    Good discussion guys. DY was with his mom here in Sarasota. I kind of observed their dynamic, to see what purpose she served, see how they interacted. From what I can see, she’s just around because she wants to be around, babying her son. Her presence around DY makes him look like a fourteen yr old. Not a man but a boy. That’s the conclusion. I think you’re right Dan, she has to cut back her schedule with DY and just let him go his own way. Sure, she can go to a select few events but not all of them. Her presence appears to be a negative not a positive to DY. DY has been around the ATP Tour since 08-07 and he still has the aura of a junior not a full fledged pro. At least Murray’s mom accepted it was time to step away. And she did.

  • Dan Markowitz · April 19, 2014 at 7:11 pm

    Murray’s mom I think is more behind the scenes. DY’s mom is front and center, at least the last time I saw them together. And I don’t think her background as a player or coach is so extensive that you want her to be any pro player’s coach. I can remember seeing DY play Robredo at the USO a few years ago maybe more now, and I was sitting in front of DY’s mom and a few friends, and the looks he was giving her. Like a little baby or spoiled teen, it was just not the body language and attitude you’d expect of a big time prospect like DY was. LeBron James’s mother has always been around him, or at least she was in Cleveland, but she never coached LeBron.

  • Andrew Miller · April 19, 2014 at 9:33 pm

    Kosakowski lost in 3 to Kyrgios, 4-6 in third. Seriously, Kosakowski has game. Best one hander of a U.S. player I’ve seen since Sampras.

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 19, 2014 at 9:55 pm

    Kosakowski was hitting next to us this afternoon (I played two sets), for his warmup he was with Boynton unleashing that picturesque one hander. I think Kyrgios and Kosakowski are going places.

  • Andrew Miller · April 20, 2014 at 11:13 am

    Kos. Was up 4-1 in third but lost five straight games allowing kyrgios to win.

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 20, 2014 at 12:48 pm

    Final is Kyrgios vs. Krajinovic at 6:30. Doubles final Hidalgo/Skugor vs. Draganja/Kontinen at 4:30.

  • Andrew Miller · April 20, 2014 at 4:54 pm

    Courier playing dy for davis cup was an unexpected boost to u.s. tennis. We shoyld be thanking isner. All this time we had been depending on isner and Querrey to deliver u.s. tennis from its lowest point. Now players see a chance for the #2 spot in u.s. tennis and all of them believe they have a shot. In the pat McEnroe era the idea was if you were close to captain Mac you would get the call like Ryan harrison. The criteria were how much does captain Mac like you not how well are you playing now. Now the only
    safe ones are the Bryan bros. Spadea would have loved this . he would have said time to dust the competition.

  • Andrew Miller · April 21, 2014 at 1:05 am

    Boynton coaching Kos? He only puts his chips on players he believes can do awesome. He should double down on JJ and Kos. Spadea with DY.

  • Bryan · April 21, 2014 at 4:00 pm

    Very disturbing if Scoop’s comments about Haas’ dead arm are true. He’s been one of the most inspiring stories in tennis the last couple years and will always be one of my faves.

    LOL at these Jack Sock stories. Hey, he did have a nice run at the US Clay court championships even if he did tank that last match. These youngsters need to learn the only way up is to grind hard day in and day out.

  • Andrew Miller · April 21, 2014 at 5:19 pm

    Maybe Sock will grow up; stranger things have happened on the ATP. You do get a sense with some of the players of a happy to be there, we are doing our best blah blah attitude, we’re doing fine etc etc. Funny you ask a player like Federer, Nadal, Djokovic about young players and they are direct and always, without fail, say for sure they hit a few nice shots. And that to make it where we (the top) are, they’ll need to do quite a bit more than just hit a few nice shots!

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 21, 2014 at 8:09 pm

    How very interesting that Sock is scheduled to play vs. Cerretani in doubles in the second round in Savannah. Now that would be a VERY interesting match to see. I’m pretty sure some players would come over to watch that one. And it’s easy to figure who the sentimental favorite would be.

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